NEW YORK CITY — In an effort to safeguard passengers and employees in the city's transit network, the MTA will establish a special unit to keep track of repeat criminals and offenders in the system, officials said Monday.
The MTA's transit committee unanimously agreed to form the team, though its size and the resources that would be needed for its creation were not immediately clear.
MTA board member Allen Cappelli, who proposed the idea at the meeting, suggested the group should consist of three full-time employees who would create a database of thieves, fare beaters and other recidivists. They would also work with the city's district attorneys and law enforcement officials to highlight these criminals.
The offenders monitored would be those from the subway and bus system, and would likely extend to Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road.
"There are instances on commuter lines that we should be keeping track of as well," Cappelli said.
Veronique Hakim, president of the New York City Transit, supported the proposal.
MTA CEO Tom Prendergast said he was uncertain whether new resources would be required. "I'm reasonably sure we can do this within the existing budget," he said.
There were 206 major felony crimes in the transit system in January, a 36 increase percent over the 151 during January 2015, NYPD Transit Chief Joseph Fox said Monday.
